Fraudsters' Fake Goods 'Could Cause Real Harm'
You've come across so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims ÂŁ120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
